Real Life Stories

Our Kids

Our Kids’ Stories

Thousands of kids in North Fulton don’t get the after-school care, or nutritional support they need to be successful. These stories illustrate how needed STAR House is and how your support can make an impact on a child’s life.

One afternoon, while unsupervised, Maria cut her finger and burned her arm while making herself a snack.

Maria's Story

Maria’s parents hold down two jobs each, working at local Roswell businesses, and often don’t get home until dinner time.

As a 3rd grader, Maria always felt lonely after-school, at home in her empty apartment. Instead of focusing on homework or reading a book, it was easier to turn on the TV until her parents came home. One afternoon, while unsupervised, Maria cut her finger and burned her arm while making herself a snack. Maria’s parents love her very much, and though they didn’t like her being alone after school, they didn’t believe that there was another option they could afford.

Maria’s situation completely changed when space became available in the free STAR House program at her school. Now she spends her after-school hours in a supervised and safe environment. Her STAR House coaches help her with her homework, she takes time to read, plays games with her friends, and gets a healthy snack. Now when she gets home, her family is there and they catch up on the day as they make dinner together.

STAR House serves hundreds of kids like Maria who, if not for our after-school programs, would go home to empty apartments. Many of these children might otherwise end up engaging in behaviors that put their futures at risk, like getting involved with gangs, drugs, or other illicit activities. STAR House gives kids a safe place to play and learn, under the supervision of trained coaches and community volunteers.

Ramon’s Story

His only food many days is the breakfast and lunch he gets from the free and reduced meal program at school.

Ramon's Story

The fridge and cabinets at Ramón’s apartment are usually nearly empty, and sometimes he and his brothers have to take turn with who gets dinner each night. He receives breakfast and lunch at school through the

free and reduced meal program, but too often those meals are the only food he receives during the day.

At home, Ramón shares a bedroom with his mother and two brothers – his aunt and cousins live in the apartment as well. Between the lack of food and crowded conditions, he has a difficult time sleeping through the night. He has struggled with staying awake and focused, in class. It’s not that he dislikes school; he just doesn’t always have much energy for it.

Since Ramón joined the STAR House program, he is now receiving healthy snacks after school each day, and he’s getting personal attention from a STAR House coach. He is not only receiving help to complete his homework, but also to catch up to grade level in his classes.

Food insecurity is a real problem for many North Fulton families. Free and reduced meal programs help, but outside of school hours, many children still go hungry, which impacts their ability to learn and thrive. STAR House depends on generous donations from the community to help us provide fresh, healthy snacks for our children, ensuring the kids likeRamón have something to keep them going into the evening hours.

Thanks to STAR House, Ramón will not go home hungry again.

$25 provides 1 week of snacks for 10 kids.

Consider making a one time or recurring donation today!

Rachel’s Story

Seeing kids with no lunch and wearing dirty clothes, you realize their lives are different from your kids’ lives.

Rachel's Story

I used to think the kids in Roswell were all the same. Same income as my family. Same access to food and clothes. And then I started volunteering at my neighborhood elementary school. I don’t think that way anymore.

When you see children come to school with no lunch, wearing dirty clothes and carrying tattered backpacks, you realize their lives are very different from your children’s lives. I had no idea. I knew I had to do something to help, but I didn’t know how.

I learned about the STAR House after-school program though a local service organization. It’s a safe place for kids in North Fulton who don’t have anywhere to go at the end of the school day. Many of these kids end up home alone and in trouble. At STAR House, they get tutored and mentored in a secure, nurturing environment.

I’ve decided to include STAR House as a part of my regular monthly giving. I’ve seen first-hand how STAR House helps at-risk children turn their lives around. These kids may not have the economic advantages that my children have, but they’re children just the same who deserve a chance.

Alex’s Story

Sometimes he feels like he doesn’t fit in. A conversation with his STAR House coach made all the difference.

Alex's Story

Alex buries his head in books most days. He’d rather read during lunch than joke around with his friends. Sometimes he feels like he doesn’t fit in. A conversation with his STAR House coach made all the difference in Alex’s life.Alex confided to Ms. Marjan that he dreamed of being a pilot some day, and she sprang into action. She invited her friend Kale, an airline pilot, to share her career story with our kids. Kale showed movies of her landing planes at some of the most beautiful and treacherous airports around the world, and she returned to STAR House the next month with a big bag of books for Alex. She promised to stay in touch with him, mentor him, and with his parents’ permission, to take him for a plane ride in the near future.

STAR House students don’t have school homework on Fridays, so we celebrate with Fun Fridays which are filled with enrichment activities or guest speakers. Fun Fridays are the STAR House way of fueling passions and inspiring children to work hard to realize their dreams.

Rashida’s Story

Her classmates had moved to “reading to learn” and Rashida was still “learning to read.”

Rashida's Story

“Books are boring.” “Homework is for homeroom.” Reading and homework are the last things Rashida wants to do when she gets home from a long day at school. But by the end of third grade, Rashida was still reading at first grade level. Her classmates had moved to “reading to learn” and Rashida was still “learning to read.”

Rashida’s teachers wanted her to read aloud every night to her parents, but her reality is that her mom works nights in her second job at a big-box retailer, and her dad is exhausted from a 10-hour-a-day landscaping job. Her parents are so busy trying to make it through their own days and working to keep a roof over the family’s head, that no one has the energy to hold Rashida accountable for her school work.

Her parents knew they were doing as much as they could, and it wasn’t enough. They turned to STAR House to provide Rashida with the extra support that she needs to succeed in school.

Since joining the STAR House after-school program, Rashida has gained confidence as her reading skills have improved, and she now isn’t embarrassed in class, because her homework is complete and correct!

The hours outside the typical school day can be so instrumental in turning around the life of a child who has fallen behind. STAR House after-school programs impact kids like Rashida. Her new attitude toward reading and homework reflect it.

Khaden and Malic’s Story

Their home was sometimes their car…or the floor of anybody who was willing to let them stay for a day or two.

Khaden & Malic's Story

Too many children go home to empty apartments at the end of the school day. For the children in the Jackson family, even that wasn’t an option. Their home was sometimes their car, or when they were lucky, it was the floor in an apartment that belonged to a friend of their mom, or anybody who was willing to let them stay for a day or two.

Life had been like this for nearly a year. When their school’s social worker became aware of the situation, she immediately went to the STAR House site director at their school and pleaded for them to be placed in the always full program. These children were so desperately in need of structure and stability. Somehow space was made, and it made every difference for the Jackson family.

Khaden & Malic quickly settled into the routine of STAR House. They were happy to be with friends after school. They were excited to have snacks every day. Before long, with the support of their STAR House coaches, Khaden started to sound out words, and Malic began to master multiplication tables. Their mother was able to commit to full time hours at the child-care facility where she works, and was able to save the money needed for a security deposit for the apartment they now call their home.

Joining the STAR House family helped the Jacksons achieve the stability that kids need to succeed in school and to become thriving members of the Roswell community.

These kinds of stories are unfortunately commonplace – right here in North Fulton. We need your help to make a difference.

WHAT MAKES THESE KIDS IN NEED?

Single Parent families

Family Stressors

Language Barriers

Academic Gaps

WHAT STAR HOUSE DOES WITH YOUR DONATION?

STAR House provides a safe place where students can form valuable relationships with educators and peers. Our highly-trained and dedicated educators, assist with homework, school projects, and test preparation to foster good study habits. Furthermore, they mentor students in making good choices by teaching them invaluable life skills.

YOU CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE:

Band together with the community and help make an impactful difference.

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